Serenity (Inevitable Book 5)

by Janet Nissenson

  Hayley rolled her eyes - Sasha estimated this had to be at least the tenth time tonight - and replied wearily, “Beyond Ballroom, Dad. How come you can never remember stuff like that but you can’t shut up about all your computer stuff?”

  Matthew grinned. “Because I’m a geek. Always have been, always will. So, isn’t that exciting news about Sasha’s mom?”

  Hayley gave a little shrug. “Yeah, I guess so. Which one is your mom?” she asked Sasha reluctantly.

  “Katya Veselov. She’s been on the show since almost the first season,” replied Sasha. “If you’re a fan of the show, I’m sure you know who she is.”

  “Oh. The old one. Yeah, I know who she is. My favorite is actually Amber, though. She’s an amazing dancer!” declared Hayley.

  “Hayley,” chided Matthew, not bothering to hide his growing irritation with his daughter. “Where the hell are your manners this evening? Sasha’s mother is probably only a few years old than your mother and I, and I know you wouldn’t dare to call your mom old.”

  Sasha bit her tongue yet again, restraining herself from mentioning that she was pretty sure Amber was the girl Katya had been ranting and raving about just last week.

  “She’s a terrible, terrible dancer, Aleksandra,” Katya had railed. “Can you believe she doesn’t even know how to do a proper jive? The producers asked me to work with her for a couple of days, and it was like starting from scratch. But, you know, she’s what the producers like these days - all big hair and fake breasts and phony smiles. Ack! Why do I stay with this stupid show and humiliate myself year after year? This isn’t real dancing we do on the show, nothing like what you and I did when we were competing. These girls, like this stupid, clumsy Amber, they wouldn’t even be allowed to compete in a big time competition. Or if they were they would be dead last, lowest scores of anyone.”

  “I haven’t really watched the show for the last couple of seasons,” admitted Sasha. “But while my mother might be the oldest one on the show, she’s definitely the most experienced dancer. And she always seems to get results with whoever her partner is each season. When I spoke with her this past weekend, she told me she made the semifinals again.”

  Hayley didn’t reply, merely taking a sip of her drink before picking up her phone yet again. Sasha half-wished her fiery, fearsome mother was actually here right now. Not only would Katya have made Hayley sorely regret the sly crack about her age, but she would have definitely put the snotty teenager in her place and insisted she put the damned phone away. There were times, thought Sasha reluctantly, that a girl really needed her mother, even a mother as unpredictable and slightly crazed as her own.

  The awkward and at times uncomfortable dinner drew to a close soon thereafter, but not before Hayley got in one more dig, this one nowhere near as sly. Matthew had just paid the check, and glanced around the table to make sure everyone was finished with their food.

  “Everyone set to go?” he asked in a deliberately cheery voice. “If so, we ought to head out so we can drop Sasha off at her place. She’s got an early class to teach tomorrow. Hayley, you should go to one of her classes soon. Sasha is the best yoga teacher in San Francisco.”

  Sasha gave him a quizzical look. “Ah, and how do you know that? Given that you’ve never taken a yoga class in your life, much less one of mine.”

  He grinned teasingly, brushing his knuckles across her cheek. “Oh, I’ve read all the reviews on Yelp and Google. You’ve got five star averages on both, by the way.”

  Hayley scowled, clearly displeased by the attention her father was showering on his new girlfriend. “I don’t like yoga,” she muttered sullenly. “Too boring. Pilates is way better.”

  Matthew shook his head. “I’ve watched Sasha go through her practice several times, and there’s nothing boring about it. You should see some of the stuff she can do, Hayley. Amazing. Here, let me show you.”

  He took out his phone and started scrolling through it at a dizzying speed. Before he could hand it across the table to Hayley, Sasha glimpsed a photo of herself that he’d evidently taken in secret, where she was in full splits and bending backwards over her leg, her hands wrapped around the ankle. The pose wasn’t all that difficult or challenging, but it required tremendous flexibility, especially in the back and hamstrings.

  But Hayley, unsurprisingly, wasn’t impressed, and merely shrugged at the half dozen or so photos Matthew showed her. Casey, on the other hand, was practically agog and studied each photo with enthusiasm, which only further annoyed his sister.

  “We should go,” offered Sasha diplomatically as she reached for her bag, the one of brown and gold brocade she carried with her almost everywhere. It had probably cost less than the zipper on Hayley’s pricey Prada purse, but Sasha wouldn’t trade it for the world. Her father had bought the bag for her during a trip to Morocco, and it was one of her most treasured possessions.

  Matthew hurried to pull the chair out for her, earning yet another dark glower from Hayley, but Sasha ignored the girl for once and smiled her thanks at him.

  The drive back to her place was fairly quick, and made mostly in silence, with Sasha all too aware of the animosity being directed her way from the back seat. When Matthew got out of the car to open Sasha’s door for her, Hayley muttered something beneath her breath that was indecipherable but undoubtedly rude. But when Matthew would have walked her to the front door, Sasha placed a hand on his forearm and shook her head.

  “It’s okay,” she assured him. “I think your daughter is annoyed enough with the two of us for one evening. You don’t need to stir the pot any longer. Besides, Chad and Julio are hosting a little soiree this evening, so unless you want them to drag you inside, it’s probably best if you let me go in alone.”

  Matthew couldn’t suppress a small shudder. He’d met her affable, sociable landlords on more than one occasion, and had even agreed to join a couple of their parties. He had been the only straight man present both times, and Sasha had taken pity on him after an even dozen of Chad and Julio’s friends had tried to flirt with him.

  “You’ve convinced me,” he replied dryly. “And I’m sorry about tonight. Unfortunately, Hayley’s manners have become even worse since I moved out, and I’m guessing Lindsey pretty much lets her and Casey do whatever they please. I’ll have a talk with her tonight, let her know that I won’t tolerate her being that rude to you ever again.”

  “Please don’t,” requested Sasha quietly. “I think perhaps you’d only make things worse if you did. And I don’t believe it’s just me that she dislikes. Hayley would probably feel that way about any woman you dated.”

  Matthew shook his head. “I won’t say anything tonight, but in future she needs to know that her behavior is unacceptable. She’s a spoiled brat, but I’m afraid I need to take the blame for at least part of that.” He glanced over at the car. “Look, I’d better get going, but is it okay if I call you in an hour or so? We didn’t get to talk much tonight given the circumstances.”

  “Of course. And thank you for dinner. In spite of what Hayley thought, it was actually delicious,” she told him with a little wink.

  He laughed, then quickly bent down and gave her a long, deep kiss before she could protest. She was breathless by the time he lifted his head, and he grinned down at her mischievously.

  “That,” he confided in a conspiratorial tone, “probably really pissed Hayley off. But it was worth it. Talk to you in just a bit.”

  Sasha was still chuckling to herself when she walked inside the brightly lit house, filled with the sounds of music and laughter and the scents of what she quickly determined to be Chinese food. But any hopes she might have harbored about quietly tiptoeing through the entryway and up the stairs to her own room without being noticed ended almost immediately as Julio spotted her and waved almost fanatically.

  “Hey, where do you think you’re going?” he demanded. “We’re all dying to know how dinner out with Mr. CEO and his offspring went. So don’t
be thinking you’re going to sneak off to your room without spilling, querida.”

  Sasha always had to bite her tongue when Julio attempted to speak Spanish around her. Despite his given name, he wasn’t even Latino. Rather, he was a mix of Filipino, Irish, Italian, and Japanese. But he liked to throw around the few Spanish words and phrases he knew, even though his pronunciation was usually way off.

  Julio, who was on the short side, a bit plump, and favored vividly colored, attention grabbing clothing, made a beeline for Sasha, clasping her around the forearm. “Please come over for a few minutes,” he whispered urgently. “Chad invited his co-workers over tonight, and you know how dull they are. I’ve had two cups of coffee already just to keep from yawning. Anymore and I’ll never sleep. So you have to save me, querida. Ten minutes is all, I promise.”

  Sasha gave him a look of mock severity. “I’ll literally be counting those ten minutes,” she warned him. “I have to get up early tomorrow you know.”

  Julio kissed her on the cheek. “I owe you one,” he promised. “In fact, I’ll even get up extra early and drive you to the studio in the morning. Just bail me out here for a bit, please?”

  “Fine.” Sasha sighed, and allowed her landlord/roommate to lead her into the living room where the guests were gathered.

  Chad, a tall, slender African American with an impeccable fashion sense, glanced up from the conversation he’d been having with the eight or so other occupants of the room, and smiled warmly at Sasha.

  “You’re home early,” he said by way of greeting. “Please, join us. Can I get you anything? A glass of wine? Some tea? And there’s leftover food in the kitchen if you’re hungry.”

  She shook her head as she perched on the arm of the burgundy and cream striped satin sofa. “I’m good, thanks. I just finished dinner less than an hour ago.”

  Chad introduced her to everyone, though Sasha had met at least two or three of the guests before. They were admittedly a quiet, reserved group, all of them fellow attorneys who worked with Chad, and a mix of men and women, gay and straight. And if they had been talking business most of the evening, as Sasha suspected, it was little wonder that Julio - who was far more outgoing and sociable than his spouse - was desperate to change the subject.

  At Julio’s prodding, she gave a quick recap of her evening out, describing the restaurant and what she’d ordered, which led to a discussion of what everyone’s favorite dining establishment was.

  “But you haven’t told us what I’m really dying to know,” protested Julio. “How did his kids like you? More importantly, how did you like them?”

  Sasha hesitated, not wanting to say too much in front of virtual strangers, and also wishing she’d taken Chad up on his earlier offer of a glass of wine - or something stronger. “The kids were fine,” she offered up diplomatically. “Matthew’s son is a sweetie, just like his dad. His daughter is incredibly pretty, dresses to kill. Chad will be proud of me since I recognized her handbag as a Prada.”

  Chad let out a low whistle. “This girl is how old? And she’s carting a two thousand dollar bag around town? Wow, somebody’s mommy and daddy sure love her a whole lot.”

  Sasha was aghast that one small purse could possibly cost that much, but didn’t comment further. “Well, I’m guessing they can afford it, given Matthew’s profession.”

  She glanced pointedly at the huge wall clock mounted over the fireplace. The gilt framed clock was an antique according to Julio, who’d found it at an estate sale, but to Sasha it just look old fashioned. And really, really ugly.

  “I, ah, hate to duck out on everyone like this,” she ventured, “but I’ve got to get up early in the morning. Please, enjoy the rest of your evening.”

  “Hey!” protested Julio. “You didn’t finish telling us about Mr. CEO’s daughter. Was she a sweetie like her brother?”

  Sasha couldn’t hold back the urge to roll her eyes. “Not exactly, no. She was - well, I guess a typical teenaged girl, is all. Spent most of the night glued to her phone.”

  That began a whole new debate, with one person bemoaning how rude everyone had become and how no one actually talked to each other these days, while someone else defended their frequent use of a phone in a public place, claiming it was for business purposes. No one noticed when Sasha very quietly stood and left the room - except, of course, for Julio, who caught up with her just as she was about to ascend the stairs.

  “Traitor!” he hissed. “You were supposed to bail me out.”

  She shrugged. “We agreed on ten minutes,” she reminded him. “It’s been almost thirty. Besides, they’re not talking about work right now, so I did what you asked. And Matthew is supposed to call me in a few minutes, so I need to go. Okay?”

  Julio sighed and gave her a quick hug. “Okay. Though I know there’s more to the story about Ms. Prada. I’m willing to bet she was a Class A royal bitch to you.”

  “Yeah, sort of,” acknowledged Sasha wearily. She gave him the basics, including the offhand remark Hayley had made about Katya.

  “Omigod, she did not call your mother ‘The Old One’!” gasped Julio. “That little bitch! Oooh, if your mother had heard that she would have stomped all over little Ms. Prada with her high heeled dancing shoes. For starters.”

  Sasha laughed. “I would never dare repeat that comment to my mother. She’d insist I stop seeing Matthew immediately, ask why I would want to date someone who had such a rude child. But since I haven’t actually told either of my parents that I’m dating anyone, I guess it’s a moot point.”

  Julio frowned. “Why haven’t you said anything? You’ve been seeing Mr. CEO for what - two months now?”

  “About that, yes. And you know exactly why I haven’t told them, especially my mother. You know what they’re both like, Julio. If my mother knew I was seeing Matthew she’d demand to know everything about him. And if she learned he was rich, she’d be calling me every single day and asking all sorts of questions, pushing me to settle down. My dad wouldn’t be much better. Besides, the two of them certainly don’t tell me about the latest person they’re sleeping with. Not that I want to know,” she added hastily. “Or that I’d be able to keep track, given how much they both like to sleep around. But don’t say anything to them, please? I’ll tell them when the time is right.”

  Julio and Chad had met both Katya and Enzo on several occasions when they had come to town to visit Sasha, and at times she thought that her landlords got along better with her parents than she did. Julio in particular adored Katya, watched every episode of Beyond Ballroom, and was even Facebook friends with her.

  “Well, my lips shall remain sealed,” declared Julio. “And I’ll be up bright and early as promised to drive you to the studio. A deal is a deal after all.”

  Sasha bid him good night and was halfway up the stairs when he called out her name, causing her to turn around.

  “Don’t let the little witch get you down, hmm?” advised Julio. “I can tell Matthew really likes you, so don’t let one bad dinner with his kids spoil things. She’ll come around eventually. I mean, how could she not love you?”

  She blew him a grateful kiss and continued up the stairs to her room.

  But as she waited for Matthew to call, she recalled the warning her aunt Linda had given her last month - about how a man would nearly always choose his children over the new woman in his life. She just hoped that Hayley’s animosity towards her wouldn’t force Matthew to one day have to make such a choice.

  “So how was your weekend with your father?”

  Lindsey had waited barely ten minutes after the kids arrived home to quiz her daughter about the last two days they had spent with Matt. She knew getting any real information out of Casey was useless, since he still hero worshipped his father and would never dream of betraying any confidences or secrets they might have shared. Hayley, on the other hand, was growing up to be very much her mother’s daughter, and would be Lindsey’s best ally in getting this ridiculous
divorce called off.

  Hayley shrugged, not even looking up from the text she was sending to her best friend Sierra at her mother’s question. “Boring as usual. Especially when Dad and Casey start talking all that computer geek stuff. Ugh. Do I really have to go visit him every other weekend? Sierra said I missed an awesome party at Angelica’s last night. Instead of having fun with my friends, I had to sit through some dull dinner with Dad and his new girlfriend.”

  “What? Your father has a girlfriend?” Lindsey was incredulous at this revelation. “When did this start? And when the hell were you planning to tell me about it?”

  Hayley waved a hand in dismissal. “What do you care? It’s not like you’ve been sitting home knitting since you and Dad broke up. Or before then, for that matter.”

  Lindsey’s cheeks grew red as she attempted to deny the accusation. “Don’t be ridiculous,” she replied in a huff. “I have never been unfaithful to your father. And how could I possibly even think of dating anyone now when all I want is for us to be a family again?”

  Hayley laughed out loud, the most emotion Lindsey had seen her express in months. “Oh, Mom, that’s a good one! Come on, it’s no secret that you’ve been seeing other guys since Dad moved out. Sierra said her parents saw you at some restaurant in Palo Alto a few weeks ago, and that you were practically sitting in your date’s lap. And Libby’s older sister ran into you at that new dance club in San Francisco. Apparently the guy you were with works in the same office as Libby’s sister. Ugh, Mom. Just how young was that one?”

  Lindsey was speechless with shock at these revelations. “Your friends must be mistaken,” she insisted. “Or they had a little too much to drink and didn’t know what they were seeing.”

  Hayley smirked in response to her mother’s false bravado. “Actually, it sounds like you were the one who had too much to drink. Both times. But, hey, I’m not judging you, Mom. If you want to go out and have some fun, go ahead. It’s not like I really care all that much. And apparently Dad doesn’t care at all.”